Barrymore’s strained relationship with mom

Drew Barrymore’s relationship with her mother is the “hardest subject of her life”.

The 38-year-old actress is a former child star who auditioned for her first commercial when she was 11. She went on to star in movies, receiving a best supporting actress Golden Globe nomination in 1984.

Her home life was tough though, with her parents divorcing when she was nine – the same year she began smoking. By 11 she was drinking alcohol and started smoking marijuana a year later. At 13 she was using cocaine and she went to rehab twice, after the second time she tried to kill herself aged 14. She eventually filed for legal emancipation and her relationship with her mother Jaid has never recovered.

“Ugh, I mean, my relationship with my mom is so complicated that. I’ve always been empathetic toward my mom, and I was even more so when I had a kid and we had a really amazing conversation about it,” she told Marie Claire magazine. “However, it hasn’t enabled me to lessen the distance. It’s the hardest subject in my life. I’ve never just been angry with her. I’ve always felt guilt and empathy and utter sensitivity. But we can’t really be in each other’s lives at this point.

“When I was a kid, everything was so unplanned, my parents were so erratic, and my world was so inconsistent. I was 14 when I moved into my own apartment. I was so scared. I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know you had to throw food out when it rotted in the fridge. I was convinced someone was going to crawl through my window… I hated growing up alone. I hated it. I don’t f**k anyone over. My friends are the loves my life.”

Drew has 15-month-old daughter Olive with her husband Will Kopelman and they are expecting another little girl later this year. She is determined to give her children a completely different upbringing to what she experienced and Will’s family are helping her do that.

“I didn’t think I would ever get to experience that. This is so safe and positive and healthy because they have their values intact. It was huge for me. And that’s what I want in my family,” she said.

Drew is known for being outspoken, but has mellowed in recent years. Now she looks around her and can’t believe what some young stars, such as Miley Cyrus, get up to.

“I’m so weary of the modern world. I’m not really of this era, so I’m struggling with that. I don’t want to talk about sex anymore. I used to be so open. But now people are like, ‘Let’s explore our sexuality!’ And I’m like, ‘Let’s not!’ I’m such a prude these days. God, I’m so boring now,” she laughed.